Two Launches from Separate Hemispheres in Under 24 Hours
Rocket Lab Launches from Virginia and New Zealand
The 56th Electron mission was launched by Rocket Lab on Monday from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The launch took place just 21 hours and 55 minutes after Rocket Lab completed a successful mission from Launch Complex 2 in Virginia, setting a new company record for fastest turnaround between launches.
“Two successful launches less than 24 hours apart from pads in different hemispheres. That’s unprecedented capability in the small launch market.”
Sir Peter Beck, Rocket Lab
The ‘Ice AIS Baby’ mission deployed five satellites to Low Earth Orbit for French Internet-of-Things (IoT) constellation operator Kinéis. The mission was Rocket Lab’s 14th mission of 2024, and it brings the total number of satellites deployed by Rocket Lab to 203.
“Two successful launches less than 24 hours apart from pads in different hemispheres. That’s unprecedented capability in the small launch market and one we’re immensely proud to deliver at Rocket Lab," said Rocket Lab founder Sir Peter Beck. "Customers like Kinéis are unlocking the potential of space and we’re excited to give them the keys to do so with frequent, dedicated, and reliable small launch opportunities.”
"The Kinéis teams have once again demonstrated their technical capabilities as satellite operators by taking control of these five new satellites at a sustained launch rate. This achievement would not have been possible without Rocket Lab's Electron precision in placing our satellites in their planned positions," said Kinéis CEO Alexandre Tisserant. "With 15 Kinéis satellites now in orbit, we're one step closer to the full deployment of our dedicated IoT constellation for transmitting data in near-real time, anywhere on the globe. Congratulations to all our teams, who are doing an incredible job - and, let's not forget, a European first! We're equally enthusiastic about our second mission, AIS. In a rapidly consolidating market, Kinéis is establishing itself as a sovereign European player, combining technological expertise and strategic independence. With our new AIS offering, we provide maritime players with enhanced visibility over their fleets, while ensuring higher data reliability."
The ‘Ice AIS Baby’ mission was the third of five dedicated Electron launches for Kinéis, a company backed by private and public investors including the French government’s space agency CNES (Centre National d'Études Spatiales) and CLS (Collecte Localisation Satellites), an international space-based solutions provider, to improve global IoT connectivity. The Kinéis constellation is designed to make it possible to connect and locate any connected object anywhere in the world, enabling data transmission to users in near-real time, at low bit rates and with very low energy consumption. By enabling internet connection to the Earth’s most remote locations, Kinéis constellation can support forest fire detection, water resource management, infrastructure and energy network monitoring, transport and logistics tracking, and much more.